if.themanwiththegoldengun-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ugh？〃
　〃More　or　less。　I　saw　this　place　was　for　sale　in　yesterday's　Gleaner。　I　thought　I'd　take　a　look　at　it。　Nice　big　house。　Does　it　belong　to　you？〃
　She　laughed。　It　was　a　pity；　because　she　was　a　pretty　girl；　but　the　teeth　had　been　sharpened　by　munching　raw　sugar　cane。　〃What　a　hope！　I'm　sort　of；　well　sort　of　manager。　There's　the　cafe〃…she　pronounced　it　caif…〃and　mebbe　you　heard　we　got　other　attractions。〃
　Bond　looked　puzzled。　〃What　sort？〃
　〃Girls。　Six　bedrooms　upstairs。　Very　clean。　It　only　cost　a　pound。　There's　Sarah　up　there　now。　Care　to　meet　up　with　her？〃
　〃Not　today；　thanks。　It's　too　hot。　But　do　you　only　have　one　at　a　time？〃
　〃There's　Lindy；　but　she's　engaged。　She's　a　big　girl。　If　you　like　them　big；　she'll　be　free　in　half　an　hour。〃　She　glanced　at　a　kitchen　clock　on　the　wall　behind　her。　〃Around　six　o'clock。　It'll　be　cooler　then。〃
　〃I　prefer　girls　like　you。　What's　your　name？〃
　She　giggled。　〃I　only　do　it　for　love。　I　told　you　I　just　manage　the　place。　They　call　me　Tiffy。〃
　〃That's　an　unusual　name。　How　did　you　e　by　it？〃
　〃My　momma　had　six　girls。　Called　them　all　after　flowers。　Violet；　Rose；　Cherry；　Pansy；　and　Lily。　Then　when　I　came；　she　couldn't　think　of　any　more　flower　names　so　she　called　me　Artificial。〃　Tiffy　waited　for　him　to　laugh。　When　he　didn't；　she　went　on。　〃When　I　went　to　school　they　all　said　it　was　a　wrong　name　and　laughed　at　me　and　shortened　it　to　Tiffy　and　that's　how　I've　stayed。〃
　〃Well；　I　think　it's　a　very　pretty　name。　My　name's　Mark。〃
　She　flirted。　〃You　a　saint　too？〃
　〃No　one's　ever　accused　me　of　it。　I've　been　up　at　Frome　doing　a　job。　I　like　this　part　of　the　island　and　it　crossed　my　mind　to　find　some　place　to　rent。　But　I　want　to　be　closer　to　the　sea　than　this。　I'll　have　to　look　around　a　bit　more。　Do　you　rent　rooms　by　the　night？〃
　She　reflected。　〃Sure。　Why　not。　But　you　may　find　it　a　bit　noisy。　There's　sometime　a　customer　who's　taken　some　drinks　too　many。　And　there's　not　too　much　plumbing。〃　She　leaned　closer　and　lowered　her　voice。　〃But　I　wouldn't　have　advised　you　to　rent　the　place。　The　shingles　are　in　bad　shape。　Cost　you　mebbe　five　hunnerd；　mebbe　a　thousand；　to　get　the　roof　done。〃
　〃It's　nice　of　you　to　tell　me　that。　But　why's　the　place　being　sold？　Trouble　with　the　police？〃
　〃Not　so　much。　We　operate　a　respectable　place。　But　in　the　Gleaner；　after　Mr　Brown；　that's　my　boss；　you　read　that　et　ux？〃　〃Yes。〃
　〃Well；　seems　that　means　'and　his　wife。'　And　Mistress　Brown；　Mistress　Agatha　Brown；　she　was　Church　of　England；　but　she　just　done　gone　to　the　Catholics。　And　it　seems　they　don't　hold　with　places　like　three　and　one…half；　not　even　when　they're　decently　run。　And　their　church　here；　just　up　the　street；　seems　that　needs　a　new　roof　like　here。　So　Mistress　Brown　figures　to　kill　two　birds　with　the　same　stone　and　she　goes　on　at　Mr。　Brown　to　close　the　place　down　and　sell　it　and　with　her　portion　she　goin'　fix　the　roof　for　the　Catholics。〃
　〃That's　a　shame。　It　seems　a　nice　quiet　place。　What's　going　to　happen　to　you？〃
　〃Guess　I'll　move　to　Kingston。　Live　with　one　of　my　sisters　and　mebbe　work　in　one　of　the　big　stores…Issa's　mebbe；　or　Nathan's。　Sav'　La　Mar　is　sort　of　quiet。〃　The　brown　eyes　became　introspective。　〃But　I'll　sure　miss　the　place。　Folks　have　fun　here　and　Love　Lane's　a　pretty　street。　We're　all　friends　up　and　down　the　Lane。　It's　got　sort　of；　sort　of。　。　。　。〃　〃Atmosphere。〃
　〃Right。　That's　what　it's　got。　Like　sort　of　old　Jamaica。　Like　it　must　have　been　in　the　old　days。　Everyone's　friends　with　each　other。　Help　each　other　when　they　have　trouble。　You'd　be　surprised　how　often　the　girls　do　it　for　free　if　the　man's　a　good　feller；　regular　customer　sort　of；　and　he's　short。〃　The　brown　eyes　gazed　inquiringly　at　Bond　to　see　if　he　understood　the　strength　of　the　evidence。
　〃That's　nice　of　them。　But　it　can't　be　good　for　business。〃　She　laughed。　〃This　ain't　no　business；　Mister　Mark。　Not　while　I'm　running　it。　This　is　a　public　service；　like　water　and　electricity　and　health　and　education　and。　。　。　。〃　She　broke　off　and　glanced　over　her　shoulder　at　the　clock　which　said　5：45。　〃Hell！　You　got　me　talking　so　much　I've　forgot　Joe　and　May。　It's　their　supper。〃　She　went　to　the　cafe　window　and　wound　it　down。　At　once；　from　the　direction　of　the　lignum　vitae　tree；　two　large　black　birds；　slightly　smaller　than　ravens；　whirled　in；　circled　the　interior　of　the　cafe　amidst　a　metallic　clangour　of　song　unlike　the　song　of　any　other　bird　in　the　world；　and　untidily　landed　on　the　counter　within　reach　of　Bond's　hand。　They　strutted　up　and　down　imperiously；　eyeing　Bond　without　fear　from　bold；　golden　eyes　and　went　through　a　piercing　repertoire　of　tinny　whistles　and　trills；　some　of　which　required　them　to　ruffle　themselves　up　to　almost　twice　their　normal　size。
　Tiffy　went　back　behind　the　bar；　took　two　pennies　out　of　her　purse；　rang　them　up　on　the　register；　and　took　two　ginger　cakes　out　of　the　flyblown　display　case。　She　broke　off　bits　and　fed　the　two　birds；　always　the　smaller　of　the　two；　the　female；　first；　and　they　greedily　seized　the　pieces　from　her　fingers　and；　holding　the　scraps　of　the　wooden　counter　with　a　claw；　tore　them　into　smaller　fragments　and　devoured　them。　When　it　was　all　over；　and　Tiffy　had　chided　them　both　for　pecking　her　fingers；　they　made　small；　neat　white　messes　on　the　counter　and　looked　pleased　with　themselves。　Tiffy　took　a　cloth　and　cleaned　up　the　messes。　She　said；　〃We　call　them　kling…klings　but　learned　folk　call　them　Jamaican　grackles。　They're　very　friendly　folk。　The　doctor…bird；　the　humming　bird　with　the　streamer　tail；　is　the　Jamaican　national　bird；　but　I　like　these　best。　They're　not　so　beautiful；　but　they're　the　friendliest　birds　and　they're　funny　besides。　They　seem　to　know　it。　They're　like　naughty　black　thieves。〃
　The　kling…klings　eyed　the　cake　stand　and　plained　stridently　that　their　supper　was　over。　James　Bond　produced　twopence　and　handed　it　over。　〃They're　wonderful。　Like　mechanical　toys。　Give　them　a　second　course　from　me。〃
　Tiffy　rang　up　the　money　and　took　out　two　more　cakes。　〃Now　listen；　Joe　and　May。　This　nice　gemmun's　been　nice　to　Tiffy　and　he's　now　being　nice　to　you。　So　don't　you　peck　my　fingers　and　make　messes　or　mebbe　he　won't　visit　us　again。　〃She　was　halfway　through　feeding　the　birds　when　she　cocked　an　ear。　There　was　the　noise　of　creaking　boards　somewhere　overhead　and　then　the　sound　of　quiet　footsteps　treading　stairs。　All　of　a　sudden　Tiffy's　animated　face　became　quiet　and　tense。　She　whispered　to　Bond：　　〃That's　Lindy's　man。　Important　man。　He's　a　good　customer　here。　But　he　don't　like　me　because　I　won't　go　with　him。　So　he　can　talk　rough　sometimes。　And　he　don't　like　Joe　and　May　because　he　reckons　they　make　two　much　noise。〃　She　shooed　the　birds　in　the　direction　of　the　open　window；　but　they　saw　there　was　half　their　cake　to　e　and　they　just　fluttered　into　the　air　and　then　down　to　the　counter　again。　Tiffy　appealed　to　Bond；　〃Be　a　good　friend　and　just　sit　quiet　whatever　he　says。　He　likes　to　get　people　mad。　And　then。　。　。　。〃　She　stopped。　〃Will　you　have　another　Red　Stripe；　mister？〃
　Bead　curtains　swished　in　the　shadowy　back　of　the　room。
　Bond　had　been　sitting　with　his　chin　propped　on　his　right　hand。　He　now　dropped　the　hand　to　the　counter　and　sat　back。　The　Walther　PPK　inside　the　waistband　of　his　trousers　to　the　left　of　his　flat　stomach　signalled　its　presence　to　his　skin。　The　fingers　of　his　right　hand　curled　slightly；　ready　to　receive　its　butt。　He　moved　his　left　foot　off　the　rail　of　the　stool　onto　the　floor。　He　said；　〃That'd　be　fine。〃　He　unbuttoned　his　coat　with　his　left　hand　and　then；　with　the　same　hand；　took　out　his　handkerchief　and　wiped　his　face　with　it。　〃It　always　gets　extra　hot　around　six　before　the　Undertaker's　Wind　has　started　to　blow。〃
　〃Mister；　the　undertaker's　right　here。　You　care　to　feel　his　wind？〃
　James　Bond　turned　his　head　slowly。　Dusk　had　crept　into　the　big　room　and　all　he　could　see　was　a　pale；　tall　outline。　The　man　was　carrying　a　suitcase。　He　put　it　down　on　the　floor　and　came　forward。　He　must　have　been　wearing　rubber…soled　shoes　for　his　feet　made　no　sound。　Tiffy　moved　nervously　behind　the　counter　and　a　switch　clicked。　Half　a　dozen　low…voltage　bulbs　came　to　life　in　rusty　brackets　around　the　walls。
　Bond　said　easily；　〃You　made　me　jump。〃
　Scaramanga　came　up　and　leant　against　the　counter。　The　description　in　Records　was　exact；　but　it　had　not　caught　the　catlike　menace　of　the　big　man；　the　extreme　breadth　of　the　shoulders；　and　the　narrow　waist；　or　the　cold　immobility　of　the　eyes　that　now　examined　Bond　with　an　expression　of　aloof　disinterest。　He　was　wearing　a　well…cut；　single…breasted　tan　suit　and　co…respondent　shoes　in　brown　and　white。　Instead　of　a　tie；　he　wore　a　high　stock　in　white　silk　secured　by　a　gold　pin　the　shape　of　a　miniature　pistol。　There　should　have　been　something　theatrical　about　the　getup　but；　perhaps　because　of　the　man's　fine　figure；　there　wasn't。
　He　said；　〃I　sometimes　make　'em　dance。　Then　I　shoot　their　feet　off。〃　There　was　no　trace　of　a　foreign　accent　underneath　the　American。
　Bond　said；　〃That　sounds　rather　drastic。　What　do　you　do　it　for？〃
　〃The　last　time　it　was　five　thousand　dollars。　Seems　like　you　don't　know　who　I　am。　Didn't　the　cool　cat　tell　you？〃　Bond　glanced　at　Tiffy。　She　was　standing　very　still；　her　hands　by　her　sides。　The　knuckles　were　white。
　Bond　said；　〃Why　should　she？　Why　would　I　want　to　know？〃
　There　was　a　quick　flash　of　gold。　The　small　black　hole　looked　directly　at　Bond's　navel。　〃Because　of　this。　What　are　you　doing　here；　stranger？　Kind　of　a　coincidence　finding　a　city　slicker　at　three　and　one…half。　Or　at　Sav'　La　Mar　for　the　matter　of　that。　Not　by　any　chance　from　the　police？　Or　any　of　then…　friends？〃
　〃Kamerad！〃　Bond　raised　his　hands　in　mock　surrender。　He　lowered　them　and　turned　to　Tiffy。　〃Who　is　this　man？　A　one…man　takeover　bid　for　Jamaica？　Or　a　refugee　from　a　circus？　Ask　him　what　he'd　like　to　drink。　Whoever　he　is；　it　was　a　good　act。〃　James　Bond　knew　that　he　had　very　nearly　pulled　the　trigger　of　the　gun。　Hit　a　gunman　in　his　vanity。　。。。　He　had　a　quick　vision　of　himself　writhing　on　the　floor；　his　right　hand　without　the　power　to　reach　for　his　own　weapon。　Tiffy's　pretty　face　was　no　longer　pretty。　It　was　a　taut　skull。　She　stared　at　James　Bond。　Her　mouth　opened　but　no　sound　came　from　the　gaping　lips。　She　liked　him　and　she　knew　he　was　dead。　The　kling…klings；　Joe　and　May；　smelled　the　same　electric